THE SNP has finally rejected MSP Richard Lyle’s claim that the violent exodus of Palestinians in 1948 was “self-inflicted,” clarifying that is not the party’s position. 

In May the Morning Star revealed that Mr Lyle had attempted to attach an amendment, making the offensive claim, to a motion commemorating the Nakba – literally meaning “the catastrophe.”

The head of the Palestine Mission, ambassador Dr Husam Zomlot, had called for the Scottish government and the SNP to investigate Mr Lyle and condemn the claim. 

On Wednesday, SNP minister Michael Russell finally responded to Mr Zomlot, reaffirming the party’s support for Palestinian statehood and rejection of the MSP’s claim. 

It read: “I would like to clarify that Mr Lyle was not, in his motion, expressing Scottish government nor SNP positions – a point which has been made to him.” 

The letter adds that the Scottish government continues to support the EU position of a two-state solution and has condemned Israel’s illegal plans to annex parts of the West Bank. 

In response, Mr Zomlot thanked the Scottish government for issuing a clarification and reinstating its “strong position” in support of international law. 

“Yet again, Scottish solidarity with Palestine proves unmatched,” he posted from the Palestine Mission’s Twitter account. “Peace cannot hold in the absence of justice and without redress of root causes.” 

The letter comes more than one month after the ambassador called on the SNP to address the offensive comment, and seems to have ignored requests to investigate Mr Lyle. 

The Nakba saw the destruction of around 530 Palestinian villages and cities and forced 750,000 people to flee their homes during the first war of the Israel-Palestine conflict.